WAUSAU - Artist Brian Simmons creates wonderful landscape paintings. They are colorful, light and airy, and have an Impressionistic feel to them that radiate a sense of calm.

Dr. Andrew Beaumont, a neurosurgeon with Aspirus Spine & Neurosciences, noticed that feeling right away when he first looked at one of Simmons' pieces. In addition to his medical practice, Beaumont is a co-owner of 5 Koshas Yoga and Wellness, a Wausau studio that offers yoga instruction and other wellness classes to help people become more fit, reduce stress and improve their overall well-being. The more Beaumont considered the Simmons' painting, the more he began to believe that it would fit in well at the yoga studio.

"We've set up very deliberately an environment that is organic in nature," Beaumont said. Beaumont spoke at a small reception for Simmons, 47, and his paintings, which now are displayed on a wall of 5 Koshas. "This is a place designed to be peaceful and calm ... and your work, Brian, is a very central part of this."

The display is the first time Simmons' work has been on public display. He lives with a learning disability that affects his ability to communicate and relate to people. For him and his parents, Mary Jensen-Stump and Bill Stump, Simmons' art has been personal and private.

"We've never sold his art before," Jensen-Stump said. "We've made some (paintings) into cards, and we'd give them away as Christmas gifts, to family and friends. ... And we've got his paintings all over our house, of course."

But the idea of showing his work to everyone, that was a little daunting for Simmons, at first. Beaumont got to know Simmons after Simmons became a patient of the doctor after a severe back injury, Jensen-Stump said.

But seeing Simmons regularly helped Beaumont make a connection. It didn't hurt that Simmons is crazy about British music, such as the Beatles and other groups, and Beaumont is British. Through the relationship, Beaumont convinced Simmons to sell him a few paintings to hang at 5 Koshas.

"I just thought, people need to see this," Beaumont said.

The paintings have been a hit. "We've had many people comment on the work," Beaumont said. "They are just calming and serene."

Beaumont spoke about how, after the late March shooting spree in Rothchild, Schofield and Weston left five people dead and the entire community numb with grief, 5 Koshas strove to help people with the healing.

"Your work, Brian, was a very central part of that," Beaumont said.

Simmons' learning disability makes it difficult for him to talk to strangers. But once he knows and trusts a person, he opens up with jokes and stories about music. He was able to graduate high school in six years, Jensen-Stump said. He's always loved art, but it wasn't until he met artist and art instructor Jeanne Chase of Plover about 11 years ago that he was able to fulfill his potential.

"I guess I have a lot of patience," Chase said. She has had to fine-tune her art instruction to help Simmons learn.

"I've had to go over the paintings step by step," she said. "I've simplified it for Brian. And his paintings have a simplicity to them."

Jensen-Stump doesn't know where Simmons' inspiration or skills come from. "I don't know, maybe it's where we live, out in the country," she said. "I just know the art thing, it was always there."